


The stranger, four tables away

by icecreamsuki



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-27 22:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12592232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icecreamsuki/pseuds/icecreamsuki
Summary: In which Nino eats alone, and had interest in a stranger four tables away.





	The stranger, four tables away

**Author's Note:**

> Written in shameless present tense in Nino's POV. Haven't written anything in a while. My style might have gotten a bit rusty. apologies.   
> Will possibly write an Ohno POV if time and inspiration allows

-=-

One of my friends has mentioned that it was his rule that as long as a restaurant has waiters or waitresses serving, he would not eat alone in such a place.   
 

I live alone so it has been a common occurrence for me to eat alone as well. More often than not, I have no choice unless I let myself starve just to save my reputation from appearing to be a friendless pathetic human being. Besides, I don't mind what other people think anyway. It may be weird to other people but I happen to enjoy eating alone. The best part is watching people from other tables. Some people say that gathering in front of a table to eat is akin to a sacred ceremony. I say that watching this so-called ceremony is equal parts entertaining and endearing.   
 

I can see you four tables away alone like I am, fiddling with the menu and reading each line as if memorizing key points for a life changing examination. Eyebrows furrowed, you momentarily glance up to scan the area around you. You survey each table on what is served, possibly to have a glimpse of what will be satisfying to eat. And as your gaze lands on my empty table, you look up to my eyes, and in that moment something clicks. I know that you know that we are both alone, eating-out-alone buddies if you may want to call us. You glance away, seemingly shy that I have caught you copying other people's orders. I can see a hint of an embarrassed smile on your face as you called out the waitress and pointedly refrain from looking to my direction.   
 

You bring out your phone and play with it. Like the eating-out-alone buddy that I have freely baptized you, I know what you are doing as I have done it countless times. Acting busy to avoid attracting unnecessary attention, yet you have gained it - my focused attention as I shamelessly continue watching you four tables away.  
 

As my ordered food comes, I witness your internal struggle evident in the way you were pressing your fingernails against your fingertips, one finger after another as if a solemn rite. You release your grip from your phone, then pick it up again moments after, apparently unsure how to keep your hands busy. I have already identified your quirks despite being a mere stranger four tables away and this has somehow given me a sense of satisfaction.  
 

I wait for you to glance at my direction, to take a sneak peek at the food that I ordered like you did with the other tables. When you did glance, however, you glance at me. Gone was the shy embarrassed guy who was caught red-handed earlier. Instead I find myself staring at a pair of eyes, serious but friendly, and almost exuding confidence. With the unexpected reversal of roles, it is my turn to look away.  
 

As I break apart my chopsticks into two, a smell of sophisticated feminine perfume wafts in the air. The scent drifts away from me as she passes by and I find her moving towards your direction four tables away. The scent lingers, as well as the realization of what a fool I had been that I found an eating-out-alone buddy in you. It turns out that between the two of us, I am the only one who is a friendless pathetic human being.

And so I do what I have always been good at, keeping mysef occupied with my phone, even though after a while even the newest trendiest game is not enough to entertain me.   
 

Before I entered the restaurant, I had every intention to forget what a pitifully worthless day it had been at work by drowning myself in good food and better alcohol. But when I saw you earlier, you instantly became my entertainment, with the alcohol long forgotten. 

I allow myself to steal one last glance and it was worth it; seeing you with a huge smile on your face in her presence is something that I can bring with me throughout the night.   
 

I painstakingly kept myself from looking to your direction as a form of respect to your privacy. It is funny that I am thinking to such lengths though we haven't talked to each other. The extent of our interaction is in lingering eye contacts and nothing more. Even though eating out in a public restaurant is a form of surrender, throwing privacy to the wind, I feel like I have invaded your privacy too much and the ball is in my court now to do something to reverse it. I debate with myself to transfer seats so my back will face you, but that will seem too indulgent, and I don't want to seem too affected. 

 I order one alcoholic drink after another – just the light ones to keep myself borderline sober on my way home. Just when I am on my third drink, I sense some movement four tables away. I try my hardest not to look up, playing with the ice cubes in my drink with my straw, focusing on the soft sound of ice against glass, fragile but not quite.   
 

I perceive her sophisticated perfume once again, and with it was a gentle scent of baby cologne which I deem to be yours. The ice on my drink may have kept my vision and hearing busy but my olfactory sense betrays me like it does at times.  
 

I hear the sound of a door closing behind me. I wait for a good whole minute before asking the waitress for the bill. It is getting late and there is no point staying anymore. I have previously set the third drink as my limit.   
 

The bill comes with a bowl of chocolate ice cream with it. I ask the waitress if the free ice cream is a promo after I check that it is not included in my bill. She shakes her head no, but makes no indication as to why. 

I eat the ice cream without the usual intense delight as questions spring in my head one after the other. 

The change for my payment comes just in time as I finish the last bit of ice cream. When I inquire again, she points to the seat four tables away, indicating that it was ordered and paid on my behalf.  
  
 

And so, even more questions arise. 

Do I seem like the kind of guy who is appeased with sweets, I wonder. I am, actually, but few people know that. Besides, there is nothing that requires appeasement as far as he is concerned. The stranger four tables away has not done anything wrong.  
 

He was just... _there_.   
 

He just happened to be there. And a foolish part of me just desired for his companionship for a while.   
 

I place the coins in my pocket without counting them like I usually do, my mind preoccupied with questions and assumptions, all surrounding a stranger – just a mere stranger, who turns out to be standing outside the restaurant as I walk out the door. 

I am face to face with those serious but friendly eyes from earlier. They are still exuding confidence and I am thankful for the darkness outside for I am sure a certain level of redness has colored my cheeks. 

Hi, you say.

Want to grab some some coffee? I reply. Grinning because this name I came up with earlier, ‘ _eating-out-alone buddy_ ’, is something that will possibly change to ‘ _eating-out-together buddy_.’

And I swear to myself that this possibility is something that I will make a reality. 

I get a confident smile in reply. The scent of baby cologne doesn’t just linger and leave. It stays beside me as we walk. 

 

-=-


End file.
